Working with ocean conservation NGOs.

Blue Marine Foundation is a UK ocean conservation charity set up in 2010 by some of the team behind the award-winning documentary film ‘The End of the Line’. Blue Marine aims to restore the ocean to health by addressing overfishing, one of the world’s biggest environmental problems. The charity is dedicated to creating marine reserves, restoring vital habitats, and establishing models of sustainable fishing. Its mission is to see 30 per cent of the world’s ocean under effective protection by 2030.

With an impressive track-record over the last two decades working with national and island governments to protect vulnerable and biodiversity-rich areas, Blue Marine works to tackle the climate and biodiversity crises, by taking action to prevent illegal or destructive fishing practices, as well as protecting and restoring life in the ocean.

The team at Blue Marine heads up worldwide research and conservation projects with partners across the globe, from Patagonia to the Maldives. They support sustainable management of fisheries, support the development of small-scale sustainable fisheries, and have produced an award-winning ocean education experience – The Sea We Breathe.

Their work in the Mediterranean alone saw them connecting some thirty international conservationists last year to protect key species of turtles, rays, seals and dolphins, and marine habitats including coral reefs to seagrass meadows, as well as to remove tonnes of discarded fishing gear from Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) and install anti-trawling devices.

Blue Marine Foundation are partners of a highly ambitious $15-million, five-year global research programme known as the Convex Seascape Survey, which seeks to understand and measure the global shelf seas’ capacity to store carbon and related anthropogenic impacts on these stores. This depth of knowledge is essential for formulating effective climate policies, designing and implementing mitigation strategies, and safeguarding the health of our planet.

In order to develop their ocean sustainability agenda and help protect their local areas, marinas could consider the following: 

• Support sustainable financing

  For MPAs to provide protection for marine life and enhanced income for low-impact fishers, they need long-term financing. This is where marinas located within MPAs can play a pivotal role. Financial partnerships can provide an opportunity to not only amplify the reach and impact of marine conservation projects helping to protect vulnerable coastlines but also provide a chance for boaters to directly connect with the surrounding marine environment. This can be delivered through two mechanisms: establishing sustainable finance and an education and outreach programme. The development of a sustainable finance model, where residents and visitors pay a conservation fee towards an effective management programme, can ensure the longevity of marine protection and sustainable fishing in their local area. An accompanying education and outreach programme helps increase public awareness about local MPAs and supports effective marine conservation. In tandem these two mechanisms can ensure that marinas and boaters are contributing positively to their local marine area in perpetuity through sustained finance and behaviour change. 

• Help develop restoration projects

  In the UK, the Solent Seascape Project, led by Blue Marine Foundation and funded by the Endangered Landscapes Programme, works collectively with stakeholders and community groups across the Solent area. It is restoring oyster reefs, seagrass meadows, saltmarsh, and seabird nesting sites in the Solent.

• Create a code of conduct for boaters

Based on local expert advice encompassing key marine species, protected areas or vulnerable ecosystems, marinas can co-design codes of conduct for boaters. These could include advice on how to minimise disturbance to marine life, reduce the chance of water pollution, promote awareness and responsible behaviour, and protect habitats from damaging activities.

To view Blue Marine Foundation 2024 Annual Review, click on the following LINK.

For more information on Blue Marine Foundation, please visit: https://www.bluemarinefoundation.com/